Gordon Strachan’s Football Foundation celebrates its seventh anniversary this month.

The former Scotland and Coventry City boss set up the non-profit football and education programme to give something back to the Coventry and Warwickshire community that has become home for him and his family.

Graduates from the successful Rugby-based foundation include the Sky Blues own Jordan Ponticelli who now boasts 26 first team appearances.

But as Strachan is quick to point out, it’s not about producing professional footballers, it’s about developing good young men and helping them gain full-time employment in a host of careers, preferably related to football and the sports industry.

“We have got a great many lads into full-time employment and I do feel most of them, if not all, employers will be impressed with them,” said Strachan, who is extremely proud of what the foundation has achieved.

Gordon Strachan

Initially set up with his eldest son and former Sky Blues midfielder, Gavin, the Foundation continues to go from strength to strength.

“For me it was a case of helping out my son and another lad seven years ago,” said the 61-year-old, whose former Sky Blues youth coach George Mackie and younger son, Craig, help run the Foundation today.

“At that time I had a bit of time to spare but then I took on the Scotland job which took a lot of my time, but I stayed in touch and kept going back.

They love him and hate him

“I didn’t take many training sessions but more recently I have had more time again and I am there at least once a week, sometimes twice, to keep up with things and make sure the boys are all right.

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“We really do have quality coaching in George Mackie, Craig (Strachan), Ryan Coneelly and a young lad called Lewis Hudson who has come through the system and is now one of our coaches.

“George is like a dad to these kids. They have to work hard, have a bit of discipline about their life. They love him and hate him but when they leave they all realise what a fantastic time they’ve had under George’s tuition.”

Gavin Strachan (centre) seven years ago when he helped set up the foundation in Rugby, pictured with Neil Melvin operations manager of Rugby Town FC and Matthew Barry, marketing manager of Heart Of England

He added: “We have had a lot of guest coaches as well over the period of time, the likes of Kevin McDonald, Aidy Boothroyd, Eddie Newton and Steven Pressley , who was a life saver for us last year, so we have had some real quality coaching.

“That’s the footballing side of it but the other side of it is more important for me because although we have got four or five into full-time football – Jordan Ponticelli being one of them – it’s the educational side of it that is so good.

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Coventry City latest

“The level that the kids are at it’s very hard to break into full-time football as players but what the football does is changes them physically and mentally, and they become different people.

“Sometimes, for whatever reason, they come to us and their schooling has not been that great and within three years they come out with enough qualifications to go to university.

Smart, sharp and self-assured

“They come out of it smart, sharp, more self assured and are a joy to work with.

“It’s so rewarding and I bore the backside off people talking about it.”

The success stories are wide and varied.

Steven Pressley has helped coach at the Strachan Foundation

“I went to see Doncaster last year, where Gavin was the assistant, and one of our old lads was the fitness coach for the opposition,” he said.

“He’s a lad who had been at an Academy but it’s so hard to become a top footballer.

“But if they can’t become footballers then they think maybe they can be a coach, or work in sports science, analysis, nutrition – all that kind of thing.

“We’re trying to get apprenticeships at different places, to become coaches and things.

Unheard of

“But the success is the lads who are working and are happy with their lives.”

He added: “The football side of things is great as well.

“This year we’re taking 40 boys to Scotland to play pre-season friendlies against Hibs and Dundee, which is unheard of.

“So I have been a tour operator these last few weeks, organising hotels and things.

Gordon Strachan still lives locally

“Listen, if I can give the boys a wee taste of what I have done then great.

“It’s great for them to understand the camaraderie of football is a great thing.

“If they don’t do their education then they don’t play.

“We have three teams and six games a week and if they don’t do their studies then they don’t get a game, so hopefully that teaches them a bit of discipline.”

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Explaining how it operates, Strachan, who still lives in Warwickshire, said: “Obviously we have full-time staff with coaches who we have to pay a wage.

Not there for the money

“There might be a sponsor out there that might help us because we’re a non-profit organisation. It cannot make money, and we don’t want to make money. That’s not what we’re there for.

“I am fortunate that a lot of my old clubs and the SFA, and Celtic in particular, have been fantastic in supplying us with strips and balls and stuff.”

Foundation graduate Jordan Ponticelli now plays for Coventry City

Asked about one of the Foundation’s biggest footballing success, Ponticelli, Strachan said: “When Jordan was coming through I was fully into the Scotland job and I just popped along and saw him now and then.

“It wouldn’t be right for me to take any credit whatsoever for Jordan because it’s all down to George Mackie and the other coaches working there.

Last chance saloon

“He’s a very level headed lad and I think you get that when you go the hard way round.

“It was maybe last chance saloon but he goes about things the right way, does the right things. That’s what we ask when they leave the Foundation, that they are good ambassadors for us.